Izabela was born and raised in Warsaw, Poland. She obtained a dual B.A. in Political Science and International Affairs from Emmanuel College in Boston. She focused her research on the effects of neoliberal reforms in new democracies of Eastern Europe and Latin America. After college, she relocated to D.C. and worked at the World Bank in the Human Development Sector of South Asia. While there, she focused on social protection projects, including conditional cash transfers to poor households and post-disaster relief in Pakistan.

Izabela is currently pursuing an MPP at UCLA, focusing on social & labor policy and nonprofit management in the U.S. and across the globe. The dual GPA Certificates in Global Institutions and Processes & Global Urbanization and Regional Development expand her field of study to international law and human rights, global governance and management, and urbanization in the developing world. Her research interests include issues of socio-economic inequality, democratization, and diplomacy.  Currently, she is completing her Applied Policy Project on safety nets in Afghanistan for the World Bank.

After graduation, Izabela plans to work as a policy analyst for a consulting firm, an NGO, or an international organization. She is particularly interested in impact evaluations that help improve the performance and long-term effects of programs, especially those targeting vulnerable groups.